Boston

We structure and implement complex financial transactions worldwide, including in the United States, Europe, the CIS region, the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America and Asia. We represent corporate and sovereign issuers, underwriters, financial sponsors, investors and selling shareholders in all types of public and private debt, equity, equity-linked and other securities offerings, and advise a wide range of industries.

Dechert is a leading advisor to asset managers, investment funds and other financial services firms, representing most of the world’s largest asset managers as well as smaller and emerging managers. Our lawyers advise on fund formation across the full range of asset classes, management company issues, regulatory and compliance matters, fund and management company transactional matters, commodities and derivatives law, and financial institutions regulation.

Dechert provides wide-ranging services for complex financings and deal structuring. With a focus on sophisticated and efficient deal structuring and execution, we advise on corporate finance, leveraged finance, real estate finance, structured finance and securitization matters. Our global finance practice gives clients access to a responsive interdisciplinary, multi-jurisdictional team. Working together, we immediately react to the changing international landscape and increasing complexity facing finance transactions.

Our Boston intellectual property team focuses exclusively on the life sciences and medical technology industries, representing established international pharma and medical device companies as well as pre-public and discovery-stage biotechnology, chemical and pharmaceutical firms. We represent clients at all stages of their products’ life cycle, from discovery through development, clinical testing, promotion and sales. 

Our strategic advice is informed by years of industry knowledge and experience as well as significant scientific and technical acumen. Many members of our practice hold a Ph.D. or other advanced degrees in the life sciences and have either postdoctoral or industrial research experience above and beyond their expertise as lawyers.

We represent a range of industries in commercial agreements, consumer fraud, insurance and banking, false advertising, corporate governance and M&A-related claims. Recognized for our multi-jurisdictional capabilities and deep expertise, we devise litigation strategy, manage virtual law firms, facilitate pre-trial resolutions to commercial disputes, defeat class certification, manage e-discovery, obtain summary judgments or voluntary dismissal of claims, negotiate favorable settlements and prevail at trial.

Dechert helps clients comply with the many, often inconsistent, rules and regulations established to protect the privacy of customer and employee information while minimizing the cost and time for compliance. We have particular expertise advising clients on cybersecurity and data protection in the financial services, consumer marketing, healthcare and life sciences sectors.

Dechert advises investment management and other financial services industry clients on the ERISA aspects of numerous projects, including private funds and other pooled investment vehicles, various retirement plan services, separate account management and other investment advisory and brokerage services provided to retirement plans. This includes ERISA fiduciary duty and prohibited transaction issues.

We handle benefits-related inquiries, audits and disputes, including with the IRS and Department of Labor, as well as ERISA-related litigation. Our lawyers have sought and been granted administrative guidance and exemptive relief on behalf of clients. We have helped design defined contribution, defined benefit and welfare benefit plans, and employment, severance and transition arrangements, as well as nonqualified deferred compensation and other executive compensation plans. Our experience also extends to securitization and private equity projects.

Dechert’s tax practice combines in-depth knowledge of our country’s tax regimes with an understanding of the business tax systems of the major trading nations and how international transactions and structures work.

We help structure, negotiate and execute taxable and tax-free transactions, including domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, liquidations, restructurings, bankruptcies and workouts, international financings and recapitalizations. Our Boston lawyers advise on tax aspects relating to private and regulated investment companies (including hedge funds and private equity funds), financial products, investment managers, partnership taxation, international taxation (including use of treaty structures) and FATCA compliance.